Your wings and mine
by amal-rukia
Summary: "Don't make a mess out of yourself." Shinobu stated, and as she looked into those big lost eyes, her tough exterior started to crumble. She sighed –yet again- and gently patted her head. She froze for a moment when Kanao leaned into her touch, and it brought back the harsh reminder that this child may have never experienced any kind of affection
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, this is my first kimetsu no yaiba fic! I couldn't find much content on the Butterfly sisters so I decided to make some myself! It's more Kanao and Shinobu centric but Kanae is here too!**

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Shinobu knew that she dug her own grave. She knew that there was no one to blame for this but herself. She was different than Kanae. She was impulsive, angry, and impatient.

She was smart but she sometimes didn't think things through, and that's where it got her… standing over Kanao who simply stared at her instead of touching her food.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"You don't have to wait for me to tell you if you can eat or not, Kanao." She said, and who knows at this point how many times did she tell her that. The child just blinked, so Shinobu bent down to her level. "It's dangerous if you don't think for yourself. Kanae and I can't always be around, you know."

Kanao blinked again, and the demon slayer wanted nothing but to throw herself off a bridge.

"_You did this to yourself, Shinobu. You did this to yourself. Now take responsibility for your decisions before teaching a child about them._" She thought as her eyebrow twitched.

"Eat your food, Kanao." Shinobu said, feeling frustrated with the girl. She almost felt like crying when Kanao finally picked up her chopsticks and started eating.

The demon slayer had no idea what to do. These days Kanae would go on a lot of missions, leaving her on her own with Kanao. It's not that she disliked the child, she just didn't know how to communicate with someone who couldn't think on their own, yet alone talk.

Kanae thought nothing of it, and she was too kind to think ill of the child, but Shinobu was different. Not being able to think for you own meant that you might as well be handing yourself to demons on a silver plate.

She was too caught up in her own thoughts to realize that the child had finished her food. She took a napkin, and wiped Kanao's face. Kanao just stared at her in confusion.

"Don't make a mess out of yourself." Shinobu stated, and as she looked into those big lost eyes, her tough exterior started to crumble. She sighed –yet again- and gently patted her head. She froze for a moment when Kanao leaned into her touch, and it brought back the harsh reminder that this child may have never experienced any kind of affection.

She was furious. What kind of parents would sell their child? What kind of parents would break their child so badly?

She would show them hell if only she knew where to find them.

"Hey, Kanao." She started, as she continued to stroke her head, before resting her palm on her cheek. She was so small… "Kanae and I will never hurt you. I'm sorry I'm always mad, that's just how I am. It's not your fault." The child just leaned more into her hand, and it made her heart flutter. That was perhaps the only answer she would ever get out of her.

She should be training right now, but she couldn't stop herself from prioritizing her first. She could be out there on a mission, saving people, but maybe she could do things Kanae's way for once.

Just once, just an exception. She could never be Kanae. She could never be as kind and patient, but that didn't mean her own kindness didn't exist, it was just different, and hidden behind layers of anger and sarcasm.

Just this once, she could try being patient, in hopes that one day Kanao's soul will open up.

"Hey, are you mute?" She asked, trying to figure out whether Kanao was mute, or just couldn't talk because of her trauma. "Just nod your head to answer." The child shook her head, as Shinobu pulled away her hand away. "Then I'll teach you how to write, so you can talk to me and Kanae… until you can use your voice, okay?"

She could be training right now, but she wouldn't mind spending that time on Kanao.

Just this once…


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews! I was so encouraged that I decided to write the second chapter fast! If you have any ideas, ships, or interactions you'd like to see, let me know! I am still trying to figure out some things that I want to write for this fic! Let me know what you think of this chapter and I hope you have a good day!**

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Being a demon slayer was tiring. It meant constantly risking your life and rarely getting any breaks. However, it was rewarding to know that there was one less demon in this world, and that at least one person whose happiness hasn't been stolen.

What wasn't rewarding was getting dragged around by Kanae instead of going straight home.

"Kanae… We should go home already." She said, crossing her arms as she watched her sister admire every shop this village had to offer.

"Aw, don't be like that!" Kanae turned to her, pouting. "Why don't we get something to eat? We haven't taken a good look at the place because of the demon."

"We can just eat at home."

"Oh, I see." Kanae's smile widened, and Shinobu's eyebrows furrowed. It was Kanae's teasing smile. It was the one smile from her sister that she did not trust. "You're just worried about Kanao, aren't you?"

There it was.

"No. I'm not." Shinobu glared, but it did nothing to faze the older Kochou, who just grinned and hugged her.

"Shinobu you're so cute. Having a cute sister like you is the best thing in my life!"

Kanae, bless her heart… was the one person Shinobu was extremely weak against and could never stay mad at, and so she sighed and leaned into her sister's hug.

"Fine, we can have a look around, but we should go home soon." She said, and smiled as her sister jumped into the air like a little child.

"Let's go buy Kanao something!" She announced, and linked her arm with Shinobu's.

And so, Shinobu gave up against fate, and let her sister do whatever she wanted.

That included suffering that came with the conversations that Kanae would start.

"When you fall in love, everything is so much more wonderful, Shinobu!"

Her eyebrow twitched.

"Where is this coming from?" Shinobu groaned, now carrying a bag of things that her sister decided to buy. "And you're the last person who I want to listen to talking about this. Of all people, you're dating that hot headed guy."

Her blood started boiling at the memory of Sanemi aggressively ruffling her hair and laughing. Her eyes flashed and her eyebrows knitted down. She looked less threatening, and more like a kitten hissing at the air.

"You're hot headed too, Shinobu…" Kanae muttered, before the twinkle in her eyes came back. She titled her head to the side, then rested it on her hand. "Oh my. Are you still upset because he called you short?"

"No."

"You are aren't you-"

"No. Next subject."

"Okay, okay." The pillar chuckled, and it warmed Shinobu's heart, making her frown quickly turn upside down. Her reaction made her sister beam. "There's nothing that beats your lovely smile, Shinobu."

She said it in such an earnest voice, that Shinobu almost cried.  
It was no secret that she loved her sister more than anything or anyone in this world. She was all she had, and if she was being honest, Kanae deserved the world. She wished nothing but the best for her, even when she didn't always approve of her decisions.

Kanae was like a flower, blooming in the middle of nowhere, bringing life to even the dullest of places.

The younger demon slayer knew the dangers that their work would bring them, but it was a decision that they took together. That's why Shinobu tried her best to learn about medicine, about how to treat wounds, along with her wide knowledge of poisons. She didn't care about what would happen to herself, but she wanted to do anything she could to keep her sister safe.

She lacked in strength, that's why she needed to push herself harder than anyone, to protect the one person who matters the most.

That line of thoughts, made her stop in her tracks.

Kanae turned to her in confusion, and worry.

"Kanae." Shinobu started, her eyes slowly making their way up from the ground to her sister's eyes. "Wouldn't it be better if we found a family for Kanao?" Her words caused her sister to look back at her in shock.

"Shinobu, do you regret bringing Kanao?" She asked in a disheartened tone, making the younger sister wince. "Maybe if we give her more time she'll…"

She shook her head.

"That's not it." Shinobu sighed, and for a brief moment, recalled the moment that happened a few days ago, the sight of a confused child leaning into her palm. The sight of a child that didn't know what love is. "That's not it, sis." She clenched her fists. "We're demon slayers. We're only humans, we're not invincible. We could die any moment, and Kanao would be alone."

Kanae's features softened, and while she wanted to hug her, she decided to wait for Shinobu to finish.

"She can't do anything on her own… She can't think on her own. What if we don't come back one day? What if we can't protect each other?" Her voice rose higher, but not high enough for the people around them to hear. Only Kanae could listen to the cracks in her voice. Only Kanae is allowed to hear her in her most honest state. "I'm weak. I can't protect anyone."

"That's not true." And so came the flower pillar's soft voice, small and gentle, like a snowflake touching Shinobu's skin. She felt a –bigger, stronger-hand holding hers. "You are strong, Shinobu. You may not see it, but I do."

When they came back home, Kanao was waiting exactly where they left her. Kanae rushed to pick her up into a tight hug, while Shinobu just watched, her eyebrows ticking, almost as if they were signaling the inevitable outburst that would soon happen.

"Kanao-" She started to complain but stopped when those big eyes stared at her.

No. Shinobu was not becoming weak to this child. Absolutely not. Only Kanae has that much power.

Speaking of the de-

Speaking of the angel. Kanae stared at her expectantly, as she nuzzled Kanao.

Now both of them were staring at her with those wide eyes and so, her anger was tamed.

"Ugh." She groaned, before picking something from her pocket, and putting it in Kanao's hand. She crossed her arms and looked away. "You use that wand to blow bubbles. You should try it."

The next morning, Shinobu walked outside to the garden, only to see Kanao blowing bubbles and staring at them with wonder. She even reached up to poke one, and the demon slayer felt that flutter in chest yet again, but this time, she smiled widely.


End file.
